Spring boot



A. R.UL.P

SPRING BOOT April s, 1930.

Filed Jan. 18, 1927 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 aIl :umm

lill!) lill llllllllll vNN mvENTloR ALFRED E. ULP

BYMW.

ATTORNEY April 8, 1930. A. R, ULP l,753,.257

SPRING ooT Filed Jan. 18. i927 f 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ALFRED E. ULP

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT orFlcEi- I f, Amann n.,unabrjrAsnnnnA, 'entireanni'jjI llt il Application'iled January 18,",1927. i SerialANo. 161,860l y* My invention relates to boots for laminated vehicle springs, and vvavpurpose of my invention'is theY provision of aV spring boot which ali'ords superior means in respect to-,existing boots for the protection, lubrication and, permanent preservation of springsagainst kdeterioration by exposure to the elements. I will describe l"only one fornrrof spring boot embodying'my invention, and will then point out the `novelfeatures thereof in claims. Y' -In the 'drawings- Y Figure l is a view showing inside elevation a portion of a vehicle spring having applied lembodiedfin v the boot yshown in the'preceding y 'views;'g f Y d Figure is a-vertical sectional view ofithe liner embodied in the springrboot and'in appliedY position to avehiclespring; Y "f Figure' v'is adetail perspective View on a reduced scale vshowing the linerin unfolded position;y l, Y Y

' Figure'S is an enlarged 'view showing in top plan the lubricant yport of theA boot, andthe c'ontrolidevic'e therefor, Y

"Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-.9ofrFigure 8'; and' v f "Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the lineflO-lO ofFigurefS. i 'y 'f 'Similar reference characters reifer tosimilar parts in each of the several views.' `l

"Referring specifically to the drawings,` my invention'in its' present embodiment 'cornprises a liner designated generally a't yL and v 5 comprising afs'heet l5 ofsuitabl'eplength and width constructed of` any material, preferone which isvoilandjwavter-proofl, and having seour'edto'th/ e inner 'side thereof a relaltively narrowstrip of'absorbent material Y v l j j @fai-fetal Sl-@P ,.26 @Ollie flirte@ ifTh'S'StrHf-P 100 16a-anexa. relatively -Wde "Strip ef' Similar Amaterial 117; i I'twill be noted that these two strips are secured Vat the opposite ends of the sheet so as to providev an intervening space which, in the applied position of theliner to a vehicle spring,providesa chamber in which 55 grease jorotherA lubricant isgadapted to `,be stored.v v A pair'of metallic straps 18 extend from one longitudinal edge of the liner, while loops 19 extend from the opposite'edge, the

- lattercooperating with the'strapsin provid- 60 ing means by which the liner can be secured in wrapped position upon a spring. The portions of the longitudinal edges Sof the sheet ,15 are recessed, as indicated at 20, with adjacent portions-of the .strip 17 likewise `recessed. The purposeof these, recessedportions is to provide an opening in the liner zwhen the latter Vis in applied position upon a spring in order thatlubricant can ybe injected through the linerto the spring and in "a man ner to saturate the strip 17 sothatthelatter will' unctionas a reservoir for supplyingoil to the outer ,endsoff the leaves 'of th'es'pring. v J designatesgenerally a =,jacket adapted to be wrapped aboutthe liner Land consisting 0-f=asheet- 21 ot leathery or `fsome.other suitable waterand oil-proofgmaterial. `i-lnk its applied position '1 toi 'the .spring the jacket is /held yin covering. relation to ,the'-'linery by `a plurality of leather .straps 2Q extending from 80 one longitudinaledge of the-sheet 2l atregular spaced intervalsa'ndengaging correspondingly positionedv buckles 23v Vproj ecting from fthe opposite longitudinal edge of the sheet.

For clamping theiextreme ends ofcboth the linerand the j acket in; such snug relation to the', spring as Vtoeil'ectively seal the' boot A 'against the outward :passage of any lubricant contained therein orthe inward passage of 9- water,air and dust,:Ip`rovide'a pair felamping elements .designated at E and Efrespe'otively, and as thetw'o arefidenticalin;construction f a description of one" will s'utlicei orboth. Each element comprisesf'aiframe 24 s'ubstan-n 95 tia'lly 1 U-shaped in 'forni and constructed' of metal. j YThisl frame is Secured meansfof a rivet 25 to the outerjfsidefofthe jacket az rivet-ialso being employedto secuef oneen'd c in journaled position within the frame.

is adapted to encircle the jacket with its 0pposite end extending into a slot 27 of a stub shaft 28, the latter being journaled in the parallel portions of the frame 24 and provided at one end with a screw head 29 and at the opposite end with a smaller head 30. The split portion 27 of the shaft 28 permits the shaft to be contracted sulciently to allow the passage of the head 30 through the correspondmg opening of the frame 24 so that when the head is in this applied position the tendency of the shaft to expand will lock the head against accidental removal from the frame so that the shaft as a unit is secu'eld e head 29 carries a ratchet wheel 31 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 32 pivoted on the frame at the point indicated at 33 and provided with a protuberance 34 which is positioned to be engaged by the jacket J so as to utilize the expansive action of the jacket in maintaining the pawl in locking engagement with respect to the ratchet wheelso that rotation of the shaft 28 is permitted in one direction only, and in such direction as toallow winding of the strap 26 thereon to effect a shortening of the latter in constricting the ends of the jacket and liner. It will be understood that the rotation of the shaft 28 can be effected through the application of a screwdriver or some other suitable tool to the screw head 29.

For the purpose of permitting a lubricant to be injected into the boot from time to time in order to insure the proper lubrication of the leaves of the spring, the jacket at a point adjacent the outer end of the spring is vprovided with an opening 35 (Figure 9), while a metal plate 36 of substantially7 U shape and having a depressed marginal flange 37 is securedto the jacket by rivets 38 so that an opening 39 forming in the plate 'registers Ywith the opening 35. The metal immediately. ysurrounding the opening 39 is depressed to form a pocket in which is received the outturned flange of an eyelet 4() so that the eyelet will bey flushwith the top surface of the plate 36, the eyelet being extended through the opening 35 and crimped as clearly shown in Figure 9. Upon the plate 36 isv pivoted lat the point indicatedv at 41 a control device or shutter in the form of a plate 42 provided `with an opening 43 which in the open position of the plate as shown in Figure 8 is adapted to register with the eyelet in order that the spout of an oil can may be inserted and lubricant supplied to the liner through the o ening defined by the recessed portions 20. he plate 42is movable from the open position shown in Figure 8 to a closed position in which its opening 43 is out of registration with the eylet'r40.. The two'positions of the plate 42 are' defined by an inturnedlip 44 formed on the free end of the plate and projectingintothe open end of the plate 36 for engagement with either of its side walls 45. The plate 42 is urged to closed position by a spring 46 having its coiled portion 47 disposed beneath and at one end of the plate 36, and its free ends projecting into a pocket 48 formed in the plate. An upstruck loop 49 is formed in the pocket to receive one of the free ends of-the spring while a downstruck loop 50 in the plate 42 receives the other end, so that the ends in normally tending to spread under the action of the coiled portion 47 urge the plate 42 to closed position. The loop 50 projects into a slot 51 in the pocket 48 for the purpose of minimizing the height of the plate 36. By this arrangement the spring functions to normally close the plate 42, but

' is yieldable to permit the plate to be pushed to open position by the spout of an oil can or other instrument. It will be understood that when the spout is removed the spring will function to automatically close the plate, thus insuring the closing of the eyelet 40 to exclude water and dirt from the interior of the boot.

In practice, the linerv L is applied to'.

approximately one-half of a leaf spring S as illustrated in Figure 1, the liner being wrapped about the spring so that its longitudinal edges are disposed at the upper side4 of the spring and in close Vproximity to each other to form a joint ofA minimum width. The liner can be secured in this position through the extension of the straps 18 through the loops 19 followed by the bending of the straps reversely upon themselves, as clearly illustrated in Figure 6. In this position of the liner the absorbent strip 16 is disposed adjacent the medial portion of the spring, while the wider strip 17 is disposed adjacentthe outer end of the spring to perform the double function of sealing the outer Vend of the boot against the inward passage of-Water, dirt land the like thereinto and the reception of a portion of the oil introduced into the boot through the eyelet 40 so that it can function as a storage reservoir to maintain a supply of yoil to the outer ends of the spring leaves. It is important to note that in the applied position of the liner the strips 16 and 17 function in connection with the sheet 15 to provide a chamber which extends completely around the spring and in which lubricant can be stored for the purpose of providing further means for lubricating the leaves of the spring.

Following the application of the liner L the jacket J can now be applied 'and in such manner that its longitudinal edges-are dis'- posed at the lower side'of the spring as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. In this manner the intermediate portion of the jacket spans the joint of the liner, thus sealing the intermediate portion of the liner against passage of lubricant outwardly over the boot or the passage of water inwardly of the boot. The

ends of the jacket as Well as the ends of the liner are constricted by the application of the clamping elements E andrE, the straps 26 through the manipulation of the shafts 28 being constricted to such a degree that they Will function to clamp the boot ends in thorough engagement With the spring. In this manner the boot ends can i be sealed against the passage of the lubricants outwardly of the boot ends and more important the passage of water or any other liquid inwardly of the boot ends; Thus the boot not only provides a lubricating means for the spring, but it permanently preserves the spring against deterioration through exposture to the elements as long as the boot remains intact.

Although I have herein shown' and described only one form of spring boot embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of the in-v vention, and the spirit and scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. A spring boot comprising a sheet of flexible and liquid-proof material constituting a liner adapted to embrace a portion of a spring so that its longitudinal edges are in close proximity to each other at one side of the spring, a second sheet of flexible and liquid-proof materia-1 constituting a jacket and adapted in applied position to a spring to surround the liner in such manner that the longitudinal edges of the acket are disposed in close proximity to each other and at a side of the spring vopposite to the longitudinal edges of the liner, means for securing the liner in Wrapped position on a spring, and means for securing the jacket in Wrapped position on the liner in a manner to seal the ends of the liner and jacket about the spring. I

2. A spring boot comprising a jacket, a liner Within the jacket having lubricant absorbing strips on the inner surface thereof and at the Opposite ends, operating to seal the ends of the liner When applied to a spring, and one of the strips being disposed adjacent openings in the jacket and'liner through which a lubricant can be supplied to a spring and to one of the strips so that the latter functions as a lubricant reservoir.

8. In a spring boot, flexible members adapted to house a portion of a spring, clamping elements embracing the members and comprising straps, each having one end secused to one of the members, and al device for coiling the opposite end to constrict the strap into clamping relation to the members, said device including a stub shaft to which, the strap is secured, and paWl and ratchet means permitting one Way strap Winding rotation of the stub shaft.

4. In a spring boot, flexible members adapt- 'ed to house a portionof a'spring, clamping elements .embracing themembers and comprising straps, each having one end secured to oneof the members, and a device forcoiling the opposite end to constrict the strap. into .clampingfrelation to thev members, said device includingalstub shaft to. vvhich thestrapiis secured, and pawl and ratchet meanspermitting one Way strap Winding rotation of the stub shaft, and including a'gpawlz. having a protuberanceV which., is engageable vvit'hr the members to utilize theV expansive action ofthe members in maintaining the paWl ini one Way llocking position.

5. In a spring `ed to house a. portion cfa spring, and clamping elements embracing the members and comprising straps each 'havingA one end se cured to one of the members, and "a device for Vcoilingthe opposite end tor constrict' the vstrap into clamping relation to the members, said 'device comprising'a frame, a'shaft journaled inthe Yframe and having-heads on itsends, a portion'of the shaftk being split to receive the strap ends and to permita' reduction inthe -diameter'of one of the heads to allow it' to "be passed through and locked in a portion of -tlie frame, a ratchet Wheel fixed onfthey shaft vand a paWl pivotedon the frame, and normally engaging the Wheel to lock thelatter zand' consequently the shaft against Vrot-ation "in one direction. y f 6. In a spring boot, flexible members-adapted to house a portion of a spring, and clamping elements embracing the members and comprising straps each 'having one end secured to one of the members, and a device for coiling the opposite end to constrict the strap into clamping relation to the members, said device comprising a frame, a shaft journaled in the frame and having heads on its ends, a portion of the shaft being split to receive the strap ends and to permit a reduction in the diameter of one of the heads to allow it to be passed through and locked in a portion of the boot, flexible members adaptproximity to each other at one side of the spring, a second sheet of flexible and liquidproof material kconstituting a jacket and adapted in applied position to a spring to surround the linerV in such mannerthat the longitudinal edges of the acket are disposed in close proximity to each other and at a side of the spring opposite to the longitudinal edges ofthe liner, means for securing the liner in Wrapped position on the spring,

means for securing the jacket in Wrapped po- -sition on the liner, and clamping elements embracing the ends of the jacket for securing the ends of both the jacket and the liner in sealing position with respect to the spring. f

8. In a Spring boot, a spring embracing member, a second member embracing the first member, registering openings in the members through which a lubricant can be supplied interiorly of the first member, a plate secured to the second member and having an opening registering with the opening of the said member, a second plate pivoted on the first plate to occupy either of tivo eXtreme positions, the second plate being provided with an opening adapted to register with the opening of the first plate When in one extreme position, and means for yieldably urging the second plateto a position in Which its opening is out of registration with the opening of the first plate.

9. In a spring boot, a flexible member adapted to house a portion of a spring, a clamping element embracing the member and comprising a strap, and a device with Which one end of the strap is xedly associated, having meansfor eoiling the opposite end of the strap to constrict the latter in clamping rela.

tion to the member, said device including a stub shaft upon which said opposite end of the strap is adapted to be Wound, and paWl and ratchet means for allowing one Way strap Winding rotation of the stub shaft.

ALFRED R. ULP. 

